Human Leukocyte Antigen in Childhood Unilateral Deafness

Human leukocyte antigen frequencies were examined in 40 Japanese patients with severe unilateral sensorineural hearing loss found in childhood. Human leukocyte antigen-Bw54 was significantly increased in frequency. No statistically significant deviation in the Bw54 frequency was observed among several possible subgroups studied. Although this group of patients may have various causes, and underlying mechanism is still unclear, this preliminary study suggests that childhood unilateral deafness may be associated with a genetically determined factor(s).